Drink driving accounts for 1 in 4 Queensland road deaths

The road toll around Australia is up significantly in 2019. A whopping 635 people died on our roads to the end of June, up 13.8 per cent on the same point in 2018.

Along with distraction, one of the biggest contributors to our road toll is drunk driving. According to the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) research, a quarter of road deaths in Queensland involved motorists with a blood alcohol content (BAC) above the legal limit of 0.05.

That's a significant drop on the 1980s, where 50 per cent of Queensland road fatalities had a BAC over 0.05, but experts say it's not enough.

"Despite the considerable resources devoted to reducing drink driving, it remains a very serious problem," said Professor Barry Watson from QUT's Centre of Accident Research and Road Safety.

"A ‘business-as-usual’ approach is not enough if Queensland wants to keep bringing down its alcohol-related road toll."

According to Professor Watson and his research partner, also Professor Watson, random breath testing is one of the most effective methods for stopping drink-drivers.

“Queensland Police currently undertake over three million RBTs annually, resulting in over 17,000 offences. This equates to almost one test per licensed driver every year and a detection rate of 1:178," Professor Watson said.

“RBTs and public education should be maintained to at least the current rates, with other longer-term initiatives, including rehabilitation programs for offenders, also needing investigation."